City Councilor John R. Connolly launches bid for Boston mayor at downtown rally

City Councilor John R. Connolly packed a hotel ballroom Wednesday night for the kickoff of his bid for Boston mayor.

Connolly outlined his vision for a city where he said entrenched power has stifled progress. He promised “a more inclusive City Hall that listens” built on the “need for new ideas, new energy, and new leadership.”

“We are a city that constantly gravitates to the status quo,” Connolly said, according to prepared remarks. “I understand why. Boston’s status quo is a really comfortable place for a lot of people. But our comfortable status quo takes a steep toll on our future.”

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That status quo, of course, is a reference to the 20-year incumbent, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who has yet to decide whether he will seek a sixth term. Like most of his public statements since announcing his bid last month, Connolly reiterated his respect for Menino, saying the mayor’s love for Boston was unquestionable.

But Connolly then leveled a litany of criticisms against the administration, using the phrase “status quo” as code for Menino. The status quo, Connolly said, hurts Boston’s poorest families in a city that is increasingly populated by “haves” and “have nots.” He spoke about working to curb domestic violence and break the cycle of poverty.

The speech offered the broadest view to date of Connolly’s candidacy, which has focused almost singularly on Boston Public Schools. He waited more than halfway through his remarks to mention education.

First, he addressed crime, development, business growth, government transparency, and landed a joke—geared for the younger crowd—that compared getting a permit at City Hall to the maligned reality television show “Southie Rules.” Getting an online park permit in Boston, Connolly said, means printing a form from a computer and hand-delivering it to City Hall.

Connolly vowed to create “a more inclusive Boston Police Department that reflects the city it protects.” He said he would create an Office of Recovery Services to focus on the “scourge of addiction” and the role it plays in destabilizing neighborhoods.

The room at the Omni Parker House Hotel was a mix of Connolly’s longtime supporters from West Roxbury and Roslindale and parents whose support he cultivated during his work on schools. The event eschewed the vibe of a traditional political rally with the help of DJ Val Beatz, an on-air personality with Big City Radio, 101.3FM. Music came courtesy of Bad Rabbits, a Boston funk and rhythm and blues band.

Speakers included Melina Munoz, whom Connolly taught when she was a middle school student, and Greg Selkoe, owner of a Boston fashion company. Connolly was introduced by his wife, Meg, who told the crowd about going bowling on their first date 13 years ago. She described her husband as an “unassuming, inclusive, and optimistic” man with “contagious energy.”

“He has a unique ability to engage and include people from all walks,” Meg Connolly said. “John not only thinks broadly, but he acts with thoughtful intention and careful attention to all those affected.”

For now, Connolly remains the only major candidate in the race while other mayoral hopefuls sit on the sidelines, awaiting a decision by the incumbent. Menino—and any other candidate—must decide by 5 p.m. May 13 whether to apply for nomination papers, the first step in running. Campaigns must then collect signatures from 3,000 registered voters by May 21. A preliminary election is scheduled for Sept. 24. The top two vote-getters will compete Nov. 5.

Two other candidates have said they are running for mayor, but have raised almost no money for a campaign. One is Will Dorcena, who won less than 5 percent of the vote when he ran in 2011 for an at-large City Council seat. The other is Charles Clemons, co-founder of TOUCH 106.1 FM, who announced his campaign in 2011 at his 50th birthday party.

At his rally Wednesday night, Connolly’s focus remained Menino. He concluded his passage on schools by saying he had the “political will and a bold desire to break the status quo.” Connolly built a refrain of the phrase “20 years,” as he criticized the schools, echoing the time Menino has been in office.

For 20 years, Connolly said, elementary school students have not had regular access to art, music, science, humanities, and physical education. For 20 years, he said, Boston students have had one of the shortest school days in the country. For 20 years, he said, high school students have not had adequate pathways to college.

“Together, we can prove the pundits and the protectors of the status quo wrong,” Connolly said in a call for volunteers. “We can bring new energy, new ideas, and new leadership to City Hall.”